1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a cathode active material, a cathode and a lithium battery including the same, and methods of preparing the cathode active material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lithium batteries have been used as power sources of various portable devices and provide high energy density.
LiCoO2 has been used as a cathode active material of a lithium battery. LiCoO2 has excellent charge and discharge characteristics, has high electrical conductivity, and exhibits stable discharge voltage. However, the world's estimated cobalt (Co) reserves are relatively small, and Co is expensive and is toxic to the human body. LiNiO2 having a layered structure, like LiCoO2, has high discharge capacity, but has poor cycle characteristics and poor thermal stability and high-temperature stability.
In order to address the limitations of such cathode active materials, many attempts have been made to develop a cathode active material having improved properties.
Also, interests in a material for a cathode active material having high energy density and a long lifespan have grown as lithium batteries have recently been used as power sources for electric vehicles or power storage in addition to the applications in portable information and telecommunication (IT) devices.
Among them, interest in the development of a cathode active material having improved rate capability and capacity has gradually grown in order to provide a lithium battery having high energy density. Accordingly, there remains a need for improved cathode active material.